We have succeeded in the development of three approaches to the synthesis of aromatic compounds from 1, 3-dicarbonyl compounds and alkynes. The first approach is a manganese-catalyzed [2+ 2+ 2] cycloaddition between 1, 3-dicarbonyl compounds, which have no substituents at the active methylene moiety, and terminal alkynes. This reaction proceeds with high regioselectivity when aryl acetylenes are employed as the alkyne ...